Foundation Badge Day celebrates 30 years of Celtic Huddle

In partnership with

The Celtic Star

·12 maggio 2025

Foundation Badge Day celebrates 30 years of Celtic Huddle

Celtic FC Foundation’s Badge Day this Saturday, on the final day of the Scottish Premiership season will mark the 30th anniversary of the world famous Celtic Huddle…

The Celtic Huddle. Celtic Champions 2025. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Brendan Rodgers and his squad won the title up a Tannadice a fortnight ago but will finally get their hands on the trophy and be given their league winner medals this Saturday after the lunchtime kick-off against St Mirren at Paradise.

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Tony Mowbray was the Celt who introduced the Celtic Huddle back in 1995 ahead of a 2-0 friendly victory over Kickers Emden in Germany. Liam Kelly of this parish gives some history to the Huddle…

The Celtic huddle has become almost as iconic as the hoops these days and it was first introduced by Tony Mowbray. Huddles have been common among sporting teams for some time. At Celtic, it used to take place in the dressing room during the 1940s, when John Hogan introduced a huddle to motivate the team.

It became a Celtic tradition on the pitch in 1995 though, thanks to former Captain Tony Mowbray. Mogga felt it would be a good way of showing unity amongst the team during a difficult period, though it was reported that it was due to the death of his wife. However, Mowbray later refuted that claim.

Celtic’s first ever Huddle in July 1995 versus Emden Kickers in Germany. In the Huddle were Bonner, Martin, McKinlay, Mackay, Mowbray, Grant, McLaughlin, Vata, Van Hooijdonk, Walker, Collins. Photo The Celtic Wiki

The inaugural match attributed to the introduction of the Huddle at Celtic was an away fixture against Kickers Emden in Germany. Present in that Huddle were: Bonner, Martin, McKinlay, Mackay, Mowbray, Grant, McLaughlin, Vata, Van Hooijdonk, Walker, Collins.

The Huddle has since gone on to become a huge part of Celtic’s pre-match ritual, and provokes a huge roar as the players break from it on European nights.

Doing the Huddle in the Champions League. Celtic v Spartak Moscow, Champions League group stages Celtic Park on 5 December 2012. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

In 2010, the Green Brigade started up a mass Huddle in the stands. It was a new phenomenon which quickly caught on and soon enough Celtic Park was a mass green and white huddle every second week. It is part of the Celtic culture or, as Tony Mowbray put it himself: “It’s in the fabric of Celtic now.”

Mowbray also described the origins of the idea when he returned to the club as manager: “I don’t like to put a patent on it. But I take a great sense of pride in it. It was nothing to do with my wife, as has been wrongly reported. It came out of adversity. The Celtic players needed to show real unity and togetherness. We needed to show the supporters we cared.”

Liam Kelly

Over the last 30 years, it has become an integral part of Celtic’s pre-match ritual, galvanising the team and supporters in the lead-up to kick-off.

Celtic Huddle. St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on Sunday 20 April 2025. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

This year’s unique badge from Celtic FC Foundation features the Huddle accompanied by the Celtic FC Foundation clover and it will be available to supporters in the lead up to the 12.30pm kick-off against St. Mirren. Celtic FC Foundation volunteers will as usual be situated around the ground from 10.30am.

The Foundation are requesting a minimum contribution of £2 per badge. Cash payments can be placed into one of the buckets and the Foundation will also offer a contactless payment option, through dedicated stations situated around the stadium footprint.

Celtic supporters doing the Huddle at Tannadice as they celebrate the title win. Celtic Champions 2025. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star).

And for those who’re unable to attend the match, the badges are also available to pre order now via Celtic FC Foundation’s eBay account HERE, with orders being dispatched during week commencing Monday 19 May, 2025.

Alternatively, they will be available in Celtic Stores from Saturday 17 May, by making a £2 contribution in one of the Celtic FC Foundation boxes located at the tills.

💚 @FoundationCFC's Annual Badge Day will take place ahead of the final match of the season, marking 30 years of the Celtic Huddle 🙌⤵️ #CELSTM | #TROPHYDAY🏆
– lunedì 12 maggio 2025

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